Did you know that 1 in 3 pets becomes ill or injured and requires urgent veterinary treatment each year*?  You may be surprised to hear that you are more likely to claim on your pet insurance than your car or household policies**.  We all hope that our pets will be healthy throughout their lives and never have any accidents.  However, this is unfortunately not always the case, and unexpected bills can often be stressful and can in some cases force difficult decisions to made for financial reasons.  We strongly recommend you consider having an insurance policy in place for your pet.  Whether this is ‘self-insurance’ or an actual pet insurance policy requires careful consideration.

Helpful hints to choosing a pet insurance policy:

But note we usually require payment at the time of treatment unless a pre-authorisation form has been accepted.

Direct claims may be accepted on a case by case basis at the discretion of the veterinary surgeon.

  • What is covered
    • Vet-fee
    • Accident-only
  • How long is each condition is covered for
    • Time limit (e.g. 1 year)
    • Money limit (e.g. like a pot of money for each condition)
    • Life-long cover up to a certain amount every year
  • Ensure you read the small print prior to accepting a policy
  • Ensure you disclose ANY previous illnesses or injuries that your pet may have suffered from
    • Not doing so is likely to lead to problems later and claims potentially being rejected
    • If you are not sure – mention it!
  • Check how often an excess is taken – once per year or once per condition?

 

*source: Datamonitor – UK Pet Insurance 2008 /** Allianz Insurance plc

01258 472293

Blackmore Vale Veterinary Centre
Rixon
Sturminster Newton
Dorset
DT10 1BQ